Burton Albion are preparing to host League One giants Sunderland in their latest clash on Saturday.

The Brewers came within 10 minutes of securing their first away win of the season last time out at Accrington Stanley, with Scott Fraser's opener eventually cancelled out by a late penalty from ex-Albion forward Billy Kee.

A reunion with the Black Cats, who were relegated from the Championship alongside Burton last season, will provide Nigel Clough's side with a chance to make it three League games unbeaten for the first time this campaign - and they are likely to have Liam Boyce back involved after his international involvement with Northern Ireland.

Ahead of this weekend's game, Brewers writer Joshua Murray was on hand to answer all your Albion questions, on the goalkeeping situation, the ever-improving Stephen Quinn, Liam Boyce's possible value and more.

Thanks for getting in touch and joining in the Burton Albion discussion.

14:24Josh Murray

Full-time!

That’s it for another Brewers Q&A - thanks to everyone for getting in touch with your questions.

Time will tell how Burton’s search for a new goalkeeper progresses before Saturday’s clash with Sunderland.We’ll be back at the weekend to bring you live coverage of that game at the Pirelli Stadium, when Nigel Clough’s side will look to make it three successive home League One wins.

Last up...

BenEGoat asks: The season is at an early stage so targets are a little premature but is it still a realistic target to aim for promotion on the pitch, perhaps play offs? And off the pitch, would going straight back up make us immediately liable for ground improvements having spent two years up?

JM: Promotion is still a realistic target Ben, given teams are only seven matches into a 46-game season.

Had Billy Kee not struck home that late penalty on Saturday, Albion would only have been three points shy of the play-offs, and after a slow start, things seem to be clicking now, although there is still plenty of progress to be made.

The top teams have enjoyed really strong starts to the season, though, and nobody behind the top four can afford to slip off the pace too much, even at this stage, if they are to overhaul those teams.

As for the ground situation if Albion were to go up again, here is what the EFL website says on the matter: “Each Championship Club shall, with effect from the start of its fourth Season in the Championship, only admit spectators to seated accommodation, and there shall be no standing terraces”.

Whether that means a fourth consecutive season - so therefore within three years of a promotion - or just their fourth campaign at that level, it does not clarify.

Edit: It seems that, should the Brewers be promoted again, they would have only one full season to convert the ground to an all-seater stadium, as their first two years in the Championship would count towards that ‘fourth season’ rule.

Although there is a lack of naturally left-footed players, Marvin Sordell, Lucas Akins, Joe Sbarra, Marcus Harness, Elliot Hodge, Jake Hesketh and Will Miller are all capable of taking on that role on either side.

'What value should be placed on Liam Boyce?'

Richard Gaunt asks: If Liam Boyce got 15 to 20 goals by January and other clubs came knocking, what value should be placed on him? I think being a goal scorer (which are hard to come by) the fee should be 4 million +...

JM: How long is a piece of string, Richard?!

As you say, goalscorers always carry an extra value because they are the hardest players to come by.

Boyce has certainly proven he falls into that category, and he is Burton’s most valuable asset.

Clough always reiterates that offers for their players will only be considered if they are in the best interests of the clubs, and given Boyce’s importance to the team, that would have to be a healthy offer.

It is all a big ‘if’, of course, because plenty can change between now and January.

Albion will hope that he is still in the same vein of form by that stage and firing in the goals, because that could leave them in a promising League position.

The Brewers received an amount understood to be in excess of £2m for Jackson Irvine from Hull City in August 2017, although they were a Championship club at that time.

Kyle McFadzean

Lukasz Ceglecki asks: Don’t you think that Kyle (McFadzean) should be one of the players that should be more careful. That’s why we’ve got experienced players in the back line.

JM: I assume you’re making reference to the penalty on Saturday, Lukasz.

Watching it live at the time, it looked a clumsy challenge - but I did think Kyle McFadzean had got some of his left foot on the ball to knock it away from Offrande Zanzala.

No replays have changed my mind, to be honest. It could be that the awkward body position of McFadzean is what led the referee to awarding the penalty, and he perhaps didn’t have to make the challenge, given Zanzala’s position.

But before that, McFadzean and Ben Turner had shut down any major attacking threats from Accrington and had managed the game well.

He has moments where an ambitious pass flies off target or a rash challenge is made, but McFadzean’s combative nature, strength in the air and in the tackle makes him a valuable member of the Burton defence.

He is one of their most experienced players at this level, too, and that is valuable for a young squad.